I wonder how many readers have still not made their Last Will & Testament?
It cannot be emphasised enough that this takes little time to write but often a long time to administer an Estate in the event of the death of a person.
Don’t leave it to the H£ir Hunt£rs who take a commisssion for finding and doing what you can do for nothing!
Yes, the value of an Estate reverts to the Treasury here too.
I have written several Wills and three of them have gone to Probate level. All have been admitted,
However, there are so many facets to a Will that the Solicitor is probably the best, if not cheap. Me? I do it for nothing, for my friends!
Jan-Jan: So, I assume you live in rented accommodation. Surely you have goods and chattels, like a computer, jewellery, possibly a bank account, furniture and who knows, if you receive something before you die, who will have it? Without a Will, the treasury! If you know the date and time of your demise ok.
It is an unhappy thought that this is happening so often. Unfortunately to have a will wriiten up by a solicitor cost’s quite a lot, and if the will is not straight forward even more.
If someone know’s of web site or company where a will can be done reasonably, perhaps they could avail us by putting in the information while answering this question.
Here in the US if a person dies without leaving a will, the government of the state in which the person lived decides what is done with the property left in the estate and to whom it goes after taking their heavy taxes and fees out. Everyone needs a will whether they own a great amount of property or none at all. When a will designates the executor of the estate, the government then can’t do whatever it wants with the property and it can’t keep the executor fees. Everyone do your heirs a favor and write a will so that the state can’t keep your assets. Then after writing the will, keep it current by adding details when time goes by such as, when children are born state exactly to whom they are to be given to raise them when they are still minors, otherwise they might wind up in foster homes. Plan ahead or the state will do it.
You don’t need a lawyer to draw it up either, just list the way you want your property to be distributed after you die. As long as you have it properly notarized by a Notary Public, it is a legal document and can be submitted to a Probate Court. In the US, every AAA (American Automobile Association) office has a notary, as well as other people who can sign as witnesses to seeing you sign the will (They don’t have to read the will to sign as witnesses that you are the one making the will.) and they don’t charge you if you are a AAA member since it is covered in your membership fees.
Another way to go is to get Quicken Family Lawyer (or its equivalent) from a computer software distributor. This software has not only the format for making a will, but also other legal documents that can be made as you need them. It takes you step-by-step through each one so that you have a binding legal document at the end, as long as you have it properly notarized and witnessed.
I haven’t done it simply becuase I’ve got nothing to leave to anyone
I really wish people would take this more seriously. You never know what might happen to you, or when, so you shouldn’t wait until you get old to have a will drafted.